“Planting Gardens chronicles Reilly’s journey across the Great Lakes state. Its songs were written on the banks of the Detroit River, in the hills of the Huron watershed and on the shores of Lake Michigan. Reilly…seamlessly combines the regional folk of Sufjan Stevens with the quirky humor of Barenaked Ladies and the multicultural activism of Ozomatli.”Real Detroit Weekly

“This music and lyrics are clever, poetic, poignant and playful. Joe Reilly blends hip-hop, blues, gospel, world rhythm and traditional American Indian styles. He writes music with wisdom and humility far beyond his years. Reilly zeroes in on something very powerful and sends it out into the room. The first time I heard Planting Gardens, it caught in my chest and stayed there for a long time.”Ann Arbor Observer

“A complete life experience from total groove to spiritual experience featuring music, poems, rap, and spoken word.”Jim Murray, Skip Towne and the Greyhounds

“Toe-tapping songs of mindfulness in the modern folk song tradition of Sufjan Stevens and Dave Matthews. Great for community jams and hoe-downs.”Travis Masch, Parallax Press

“Come hear a new voice ‘crying out in the wilderness’ of pain and injustice, a voice singing songs of wisdom, compassion, love, and healing.”Fr. Bob Hutmacher, founder of Chiesa Nuova

“Good medicine for the heart”Kalamazoo Gazette

“Deep cut world groove sounds”American Indian Radio On Sattelite (AIROS)

“An acoustic mix of folk, blues, and hip-hop influences, with lyrics that are spirited, compassionate and life-affirming.”News From Indian Country

“Joe Reilly is a born teacher and naturalist. He creates music that is especially accessible to children and addresses issues and joys of our environment.”Great Lakes Bioneers

“From mammals to amphibians, the water cycle to tomatoes, singer-songwriter Joe Reilly teaches kids about the importance of the environment through music- and invites them to sing along. Reilly combines his love of music and his role as an environmental educator on the new CD “Children of the Earth.” The youngsters Reilly works with sing along and offer their own ideas to help teach basic science, and spread the message of the importance of ecological stewardship to young people.”National Public Radio’s Living On Earth

“Ann Arborite Joe Reilly came out with my favorite new CD this fall, titled Touch the Earth. A follow-up to his children’s CD, Children of the Earth, this new music is equally forthright, joyful, and happy in Joe Reilly’s sweet, genuine way. Not pretending to be anything he isn’t and entirely unpretentious, Touch the Earth is stylistically varied with Joe’s authentic voice tying it all together. From folk to mild hip-hop to slightly bluegrass with other wonderful instrumentation and vocals from guest artists, Reilly uses his guitar and lyrics to create connection and awareness among people and of the earth. His mission seems to be to open your heart, to open your mind to the beauty of this planet, to open your consciousness to a greater consciousness. He writes, “My highest hope is that the music I create will somehow help other people on their path and that it will have some meaning in their lives. I also hope to inspire joy in other people.” For me, it seems I don’t listen to much music these days as it often inspires melancholy and an unwelcome mood shift. I now drive and work mostly in silence. But I readily admit that the day I first played Reilly’s demo, I let it repeat all morning and happily allowed its brightness, its silliness, its wisdom, its prayer to lift me, to lighten me. Inspired by his Catholic musical family as well as by other Buddhist teachers and communities, including Thich Nhat Hanh, Joe Reilly sings his path, his journey, and his spiritual inspiration. He honors our interconnection and a deep reverence for Mother Earth. As Geri Larkin, author of Plant Seed, Pull Weed, writes “…a Jack Johnson bodhisattva offering up the kind of energy that can carry the rest of us back into the land of happy calm.” The Ann Arbor Observer says, “Music with wisdom.” I think this is only the beginning for musician and singer Joe Reilly. And I’m so happy to look forward for more.”

The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal

“In a time of confusion and discomfort, Joe Reilly isn’t afraid to love everyone and everything. He is a Jack Johnson bodhisattva offering up the kind of energy that can carry the rest of us back into the land of happy calm.”

“Joe Reilly writes music with his eyes and heart. He sees goodness and possibility where others see evil and gloom. He feels the plight of the poor and downtrodden in his gut and values their humanity. And in some talented and magical way, Joe puts these feelings, hopes and observations to music which connects us not only to the musician but to the subjects of his music. May we be open to the connections, and in the seeing and feeling may we all be better people.”Bishop Tom Gumbleton, Archdiocese of Detroit, founder of Pax Christi USA

Press Kit

about

Joe Reilly is a singer, songwriter, and educator from Ann Arbor, Michigan who writes songs from his heart. Joe’s songs are playful, clever, engaging, joyful, and always have something meaningful to say. The core of his message is an invitation to heal our relationships with our selves, with each other, and with the earth.

Joe Reillyis the Official Troubadour of National Get Outdoors Day!

Reviews

"Toe-tapping songs of mindfulness in the modern folk song tradition of Sufjan Stevens and Dave Matthews. Great for community jams and hoe-downs.”Travis MaschParallax Press